Bees and Honey

Environmental Studies currently has 40 hives in three apiaries: Eagle, Nursery Pond and the ES Field Station, with plans to expand to 300 hives in ten apiaries. Seasonally available, Environmental Studies' honey may be purchased at our "shop".

Honey bees are important pollinators for many native plants and are critical for food crops. Bee populations are decreasing dramatically worldwide. Environmental Studies is involved in research using local bee populations to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Our goals include

• Showing the relationship between pollinators and plants
• Showing the importance of pollinators as a conservation tool
• Modeling the best possible chemical free management of honey bees
• Modeling a profitable, sustainable agriculture project to produce natural uncontaminated hive products
• Providing academic projects that promote an understanding of pollinator ecology and add to the scientific body of knowledge
• Providing opportunities for the public to learn about honey bees through open-house events (see Calendar), private tours by arrangement and workshops
• Educate about native bees, honey bees and beekeeping
• Develop strong, healthy bee lines for local beekeepers bred from disease-free and pest-resistant feral bees
• Model sustainable agriculture for local and international use
• Model the versatility of honey bee products and use them as a means of economic development
• Fundraising for educational projects at ES

Facts about bees

Honey bee keepers have declined from 212,000 to 125,000 in the last 30 years.

Approximately 1/3 of US food crops are dependent upon pollination by honey bees.

Most Americans do not know the difference between a wasp and a bee, and that no honey bees are native to the US or Canada.

Environmental Studies plans to build its bees to 300 colonies in 10 years.

Honey bees were introduced to New England around 1638.

Bees may travel 55,000 miles and visit two million flowers to gather enough nectar for one pound of honey.

Honey has proven antifungal and antibiotic properties and will not go bad in strorage. Honey found entombed in the pyramids was still good to eat after 5000 years.

Five sugars make up honey. Whether or not honey crystallizes in storage depends upon the percentage mix of the five sugars, which depends on the nectar that the bees gather. Cystallized honey is still good and can be heated in a hot water bath or in the microwave.

Honey Bee Products

• Wax, Honey and Pollen are eaten as a dietary supplement.
• Propolis is a resinous mixture predominately collected from tree sap and used to seal small gaps or spaces in the hive. It is considered by natural medicine practitioners as a natural antibiotic.
• QUEENS - in managed hives, queens are usually replaced anually to keep colonies at maximum production. Many beekeepers prefer to buy queens than raise them themselves.
• NUCS - this is a nucleus or starter colony formed when a beekeeper raises a queen and splits an existing colony to start a new one.

Research

• We are documenting the native bee species at ES.
• We are studying the impact of competition between the European honey bee and native bee populations.
• We are also trying to determine the carrying capacity of honey bees in Piedmont habitats. i.e. how many honey bee colonies a given area can support without negatively affecting native bee pollinators.

Reseach - How

• Conduct a bee survey to determine bee diversity in 6 pre-selected locations
• HABITAT SURVEY - determine habitat types and plant bloom sequence
• Determine historical and annual weather patterns and other abiotic factors
• Determine solitary brood populations without the presence of honey bees
• If data show that honey bees have a negative impact on solitary bee brood production then conduct melissopalynology (pollen) studies to determine the limiting factors.